"But have you ever thought about it, if the Ming Dynasty had more acres and more people, the taxes, silver, and labor collected by the court would be less and less day by day?
Do you think His Majesty will not notice it? Or will His Highness King Yan not notice it? "
After hearing this, all the gentry became uneasy.
Guo An sighed softly, "Now, His Highness King Yan has noticed it!
Everyone, what kind of person is Mr. Korea? Now, what is the outcome..."
"As long as there are people who are famous in your family, your family will last for a long time."
"We have also learned about the donation of land. Even if we donate two thousand acres of fertile land, or even five thousand acres of fertile land, how much money can we earn for you in a year?"
"You should also understand what this kind of dedication means to the imperial court. As long as there is a slight mistake, all the distinguished members of your family will definitely be punished by your majesty, and your future will be lost..."
"You are not short-sighted. For such a small amount of money, you have to risk the future of those who are famous in your family, or even the future of your entire family. Is it really worth it?"
The expressions of Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others changed again and again.
"Guo Changshi, this is a benefit given by the imperial court to those who have achieved fame. Since ancient times, all families have been like this..."
Guo An smiled softly and changed the subject, "Okay, we just discovered this matter and are worried that you may go astray, so we can't help but remind you so that you can have a number in your mind."
"Thank you Guo Changshi for still thinking of me."
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry said quickly.
Guo An quickly smiled and said, "No problem, no problem, people from the same hometown should stick together, so as to avoid being bullied by outsiders!"
All the gentry breathed a sigh of relief, and smiles slowly appeared on their faces.
It should be so, after all, Guo Changshi is also a gentry.
Guo An asked again: "Everyone, His Highness King Yan's farm is now on the right track.
Do you want to start a farm in your respective townships? Raise some chickens, ducks, sheep, and cows? "
"Guo Changshi, can we really start a farm?"
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others' eyes suddenly lit up, their faces filled with anticipation.
Although they don't know the specific account books of the farm, they can guess how profitable it will be to open a farm just by watching the ups and downs of the Yan Palace and the improvement of Yanshanwei's meat every year.
"Of course you can!"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Beiping Mansion is so big, and the people in Prince Yan's Mansion alone cannot cover it.
Moreover, most of the chickens, ducks, sheep and goats in the farm must be supplied to Yanshanwei or Prince Yan's Mansion, and cannot be sold to the people of Beiping Mansion.
After you start the farm, the meat produced on the farm can be sold to the people of Beiping Prefecture.
You must have seen that according to the development of Beiping Prefecture, within a few years, half of the people in Beiping Prefecture, especially Wanping County, will be able to eat meat every three days.
By then, you will definitely be able to make a lot of money! "
"Thank you Guo Changshi!"
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others quickly thanked them.
"No need to be so polite."
Guo An chuckled lightly, "But although you are all the great gentry in our Beiping Mansion, and the children in your family are also the best among our Ming Dynasty scholars, we, Prince Yan Mansion, also spent a lot of effort and invested a lot of manpower and material resources to open the farm. , to achieve today’s results.
If you want to learn from our Yanwangfu farm, you also need to pay tuition to Yanwangfu.
Each family pays 2,000 guan and can send one or two people to learn how to start a farm.
These people can study for a year, and then if you want to start a farm, or if several people jointly start a farm, then it’s up to you! "
"this……"
Upon hearing the two thousand guans, some gentry had a look of embarrassment in their eyes.
Even though their family has a small amount of assets, they cannot afford to waste it like this!
However, Huang Bi and Zheng Jun responded directly.
"Don't worry, Guo Changshi, I will send the money in a moment! In addition, send two smart people to the farm to study!"
It was not easy to get involved with Prince Yan's Mansion, not to mention two thousand guan, even ten thousand guan. Huang Bi and Zheng Jun, gentry with rich families, would grit their teeth and pay.
"Um!"
Guo An nodded slightly, "If you don't go to school, it won't affect starting a farm. You should also know that starting a farm means raising some sheep and goats in a place with abundant young grass, so that these sheep and goats can eat and drink well.
Just wait until they grow up and gain weight before slaughtering them. They are full of treasures, enough to make a lot of money for the farm! "
The faces of Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others suddenly became stiff.
Huang Bi couldn't help but ask: "Guo Changshi, this farm raises pigs..."
"What's wrong?"
Guo An asked with a puzzled look.
Huang Bi forced a smile on his face and said, "Thank you Guo Changshi for your teachings. I just think killing a pig is a bit too cruel!"
Guo An shook his head slowly, "Huang Yuanwai is too kind-hearted. Pigs are greedy and grow fast and fat.
When the owner runs out of meat at home, or wants to eat pigs, he will naturally kill it. No one will be as kind-hearted as Huang Yuanwai! "
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry all shuddered, and some gentry turned pale as they thought of something.
Guo An was sitting aside, drinking herbal tea leisurely.
"Please ask Guo Changshi to save me!"
Suddenly, a gentleman knelt down in front of Guo An and kowtowed repeatedly.
Seeing this, Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry also stood up quickly and saluted Guo An respectfully.
"We will follow Guo Changshi's lead and ask Guo Changshi to save us."
"Forehead……"
Guo An smiled faintly, "Did you misunderstand me? I really want to sell you farm skills so that you can start a farm with Prince Yan's Mansion. You can make money so that the people of Beiping Mansion can eat meat."
Huang Bi said: "Guo Changshi, please stop playing riddles. We all understand what you mean."
Guo An was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, "It's a farm...oh, no, it's a donation?"
Finally stopped pretending to be confused.
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and the other gentry breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "Guo Changshi Mingjian, we are not trying to make that kind of money.
However, you also know that our gentry family has a great business and more people.
When a Jinshi finally appears in the family, many clan members or fellow villagers will naturally come to visit him.
For us, donating is just a small thing.
Plus, we are all relatives, so it’s hard to say no! "
"I understand this matter!"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Since ancient times, every big family has been very united. Only in this way can they avoid being bullied by outsiders.
This is especially true for everyone in the countryside. "
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry nodded subconsciously.
“However, you should also understand what impact it will have on the Ming Dynasty’s taxes if you accept donations in large quantities.
One day, each of your families will have vast hectares of fertile land, and the food stored in their homes will pile up like mountains.
The imperial court, on the other hand, cannot even pay salaries to those who have achieved fame in your family. Can you guess what will happen? "
All the gentry looked embarrassed, "But Guo Changshi, those who came to donate are either relatives or fellow villagers..."
Guo An smiled faintly, "Have you ever heard of the saying that fighting for rice nourishes kindness, and shouldering rice nourishes hatred?"
"this……"
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry were all startled.
"Everyone, the less favor you have, the more valuable it is. Sometimes, it is a good thing to take proper care of your family members and the village.
However, if you take care of it too much, it will be taken for granted.
In the end, no matter what you do, you may become a different person inside and out..."
After saying that, Guo An stood up directly and said, "Okay, that's all I have to say, you can do what you want!"
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry were stunned for a moment, then slowly stood up to say goodbye and salute.
"The villain and others say goodbye!"
…
After these gentry left, Zhu Di appeared out of nowhere and looked at Guo An with a look of ridicule.
"We didn't expect that Guo Qing would still deceive people like this!"
Guo An saluted Zhu Di and said seriously: "Your Highness, I have never deceived those gentry."
Zhu Di clicked his tongue and said, "Guo Qing said that the gentry are like pigs, and I, the Ming Dynasty, are like farms. In the end..."
As he spoke, Zhu Di suddenly froze and stared at Guo An solemnly.
"Guo Qing, if farmers' donations became popular, would there really be big problems with taxes and labor in our Ming Dynasty?"
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, do you know how many scholars, candidates, scholars, or official families there are in our Beiping Mansion now?"
"More than twenty families."
Zhu Di said quietly.
Guo An continued to ask: "Your Highness, what if it takes another ten years?"
Zhu Di replied: "That counts as sixty families!"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Your Highness, Wei Chen boldly made some calculations. If a scholar's name can accommodate two thousand acres of dedicated land, a juren's name can accommodate 10,000 acres of dedicated land, and a Jinshi's name can accommodate 50,000 acres of dedicated land. Land, as for the homes of those officials, depends on their official position.
In this way, with the prosperity of the academy, our Beiping Prefecture's scholars, candidates, and Jinshi continued to appear.
Last year, there were ten Jinshi in our Beiping Mansion, and more than ten Jinshi. As for the scholars, their fame is too small to be counted.
With this alone, as long as they contribute to the prosperity of the country, they can take away more than 600,000 acres of land, plus the families of a few officials.
The minor ministers counted less, and 700,000 acres of fertile farmland were dedicated.
Then, ten years later, 20,000 hectares of fertile land will be dedicated.
Your Highness, the fertile farmland in our Beiping Mansion should only be over 60,000 hectares now, so that is a reduction of 30%! "
Zhu Di's expression immediately became serious.
Guo An continued to calculate: "The most important thing is that even if only 10,000 hectares of land are dedicated, the taxes and labor imposed on the remaining farmers will increase by 20%.
For those farmers, this is like the sky is falling.
In this way, more and more farmers will rush to donate..."
"In this case, those who have achieved fame but are not officials, don't they become moths in our Ming Dynasty?"
Zhu Di said bitterly, "We must report to the emperor brother and father!"
Guo An hurriedly said: "Your Highness, please conceal your name as a minor minister!"
Zhu Di said: "Guo Qing is afraid of offending the world's gentry?"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Your Highness is wise."
"Those officials in the DPRK and China are really difficult to deal with."
Zhu Di nodded slightly.
Immediately, he walked down.
Half an hour later, a memorial written by Zhu Di himself was sent directly to Yingtian City, the capital.
As for the gentry who had returned from Prince Yan's Palace, as soon as they returned home, they quickly asked the housekeeper to withdraw two thousand coins, and found two confidants to explain.
Let the two confidants take two thousand strings and send them to the Yan Palace.
…
(End of chapter)
